'File 11/44 Leading Personalities in Iraq, Iran & Saudi Arabia' [‎25v] (50/96)

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His obstinacy and inability to endure the slightest
criticism are the worst faults of an otherwise most
likeable and hardworking man. Created K.B.E. for
war services, 1946.
36. A sim-al-Naqib, Saiyid
The fourth son of Saiyid Abdul Bahman and
younger brother of Saiyid Mahmud. Born Bagdad
1879. Appointed Naqib on the death of Saiyid
Mahmud in July 1936. A man of little character,
but he has successfully acquired the conventional
appearance of a Sunni Alim and holy man.
37. A ta A min
Born 1897. Appointed secretary to the Iraqi
Legation in London, September 1932, on transfer
from a consular post at Angora.
In the summer of 1933 it was discovered that he
had, while in Turkey, married one of the sisters of
the Amir Zaid, a younger brother of King Faisal 1.
This was regarded as a scandal at the time, but later
on he w*as forgiven. Appointed first secretary to the
Iraqi Legation at Rome, October 1934. Transferred
to London as counsellor in August 1935. Transferred
to Paris as charge d’affaires in August 1938 and to
Berlin in February 1939.
In July 1939 he returned to Rome and remained
there until June 1940, when he was transferred to
London as charge d’affaires. Returned to Bagdad,
and was appointed Director-General at the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs in October 1943. Was appointed
Iraqi Minister at Angora in August 1944. He speaks
good English.
A weak and ineffective individual.
38. Aziz Sheriff (Abdul Aziz bin Sheriff
bin Abdul Majid)
Born Anah, Dulaim Liwa, 1904. Sunni Muslim.
Lawyer.
Educated up to middle school at Anah he entered
the Secondary School Teachers’ Training College and
the Law College, Bagdad. He graduated from the
Law College in 1931 and set up practice in Basra.
He practised before the Basra Courts until 1941
when he was appointed to the Judicial Service and
posted as judge at Hillah. Later he was transferred
to Bagdad. In 1945 he resigned and returned to
practice in partnership with Nadhim al Zahawi.
He always has been anti-British and anti-Govern-
ment but came to particular notice as a Communist
only some ten years ago. During the war years he
did good work in combating “ the Nazis,” but
always with.an anti-British bias. After the Rashid
Ali rebellion he, with other extremists including
Muhammad Saleh Bahr el Ullum, tried to form a
society Hizb el Wahidah el Wataniyeh el Demo-
cratiyeh. 'Owing to its combination, particularly
the association of the latter individual, the good
intentions of the proposers were doubted and
sanction was not accorded. They continued to work
and eventually the Hizb el Sha’ab was formed with
Aziz Sheriff as the first President. Previously he
had worked for a time with Kamil al Chadarchi (q.v.)
but the views and policy of al Chadarchi were not
sufficiently advanced for him and his associates,
most of whom were employed in underground
activity, and in the publication of secret Communist
literature, e.g., El Shararah, El Qa’idah, El ’Aaml,
&c., and in forming Communist “ Cells ” all
over the country. Working with this group were
many capable men and the publications, always
published at the right moment, had considerable
effect. Throughout they were extremely critical of
Britain, belittled her efforts and praised anything
and everything Russian. Aziz Sheriff himself owns
the very strongly Leftist paper El Wattan, which
openly publishes in a milder form matter formerly
published in the “ underground ” press.
The Communist trials of 1947 did not produce any
evidence to link Aziz with the underground
organisations. Nevertheless, it is probable that his
party, the Shaab, is to some extent penetrated by
Communists properly so called.
39. Baba A li Shaikh Mahmud
Son of the well-known Shaikh Mahmud {q.v.). .
Spent much of his early life in Persia while his father
was engaged in his various rebellions. After Shaikh
Mahmud’s surrender to the Iraqi authorities in 1927,
Baba Ali was sent to school by the Iraqi Government
in Bagdad and later at Victoria College, Alexandria.
In 1933 he went to America and studied political
economy at Columbia for five years. On his return
he was given a minor post in the railways, but
resigned after a short time as he did not like the life
of a Government official. In 1941 he was ill in
Sulaimaniyah and did not join his father, who
escaped from Bagdad. His open criticism of the
Administration led to his arrest and exile in July
1943. After his release in November he settled down
to the improvement of his agricultural property, but
again in February 1945 openly attacked the short
comings of the Mutesarrif of Sulaimaniyah. This
incident almost led to his arrest again.
Baba Ali speaks excellent English and possesses
an attractive though not very forceful personality.
Is very keen on improving the tobacco situation^n^^
Kurdistan and on preserving the remaining Kurc^P^^I
forests. He has considerable practical knowledge
of and enthusiasm for agriculture and if not blocked
by bureaucratic methods may achieve something as
Minister of Economics.
Resigned with whole of Nuri Pasha’s Government
in March 1947. As a Deputy, attacks the Govern
ment of Saleh Jabr on frequent occasions for their
alleged anti-Kurdish policy, signs of which he
distinguishes in the most improbable matters.
40. Babekr A gha
A powerful chief of the Pizhder (Kurdish) tribe of
Qalali Diza (on the Lesser Zab River, north of
Suleimani). Has always been honest and friendly
in his dealings with the Government, whether British
or Iraqi. An able and most estimable man, who has
been liked and respected by all who have had close
contact with him.
His rival for tribal influence is Abbas Mahmud
Agha, who has always tended to be against
Government. Both, however, visited Bagdad m
October 1933 and protested their loyalty and
obedience to the Iraqi Government.
He behaved well after the Iraqi Government
established normal administration in the Pizhder
area in 1938.
On the outbreak of hostilities between Rashid Ali’s
rebel Government and the British forces in May
1941, Babekr Agha, together with Sheikh Mahmud
and many of the Suleimani tribal chiefs, planned a
revolt against the Government. Rashid Ali’s regime
was, however, overthrown before their plans could
materialise.
He visited the ambassador in December 1941 and
pledged himself to act always under British
guidance.
Operated on at I.P.C. Hospital in Kirkuk early
in 1947 which may keep him alive a few years longer.
41. Darwosh al Haidari
Born in 1907, graduated from an American agri
cultural college and entered Iraq Government service
in 1930. The greater part of his career has been
spent in the Department of Agriculture, and for a
long time he was manager of the Abu Ghuraib
experimental farm. In 1942, however, he became
Acting Director-General of Grain. He was suc
cessful on the whole, but his term of office was
marred by a quarrel with the then Mutesarrif of